Power wringer and the like



March 4, 1941. w. L. KAUFFMAN, 2!:

POWER WRINGER AND THE LIKE Filed May 13, 1958 Patented Mar. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POWER WRINGER AND THE LIKE Application May 13, 1938, Serial N 0. 207,705

4 Claims.

Power wringers and similar devices involve a certain amount. of hazard to persons operating them in that there is danger of the operator getting caught in. the rolls. In order to reduce the hazard to some extent, devices have been provided for relieving the pressure on the rolls and where such pressure is released for safety, or in ordinaly use, it is desirable to reset the pressure. The present invention is designed to improve the wringer or similar device as to its releasing and resetting means. Features and details of the invention will appear more fully from the specification and claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein the invention is exemplified as a wringer.

Fig. 1 shows a, front elevation of a wringer partly in section, with the wringer parts in set 1 position.

Fig. 2 a front elevation of the wringer showing the releasing and resetting devices in position to react the pressure means of the wringer.

Fig. 3 a section on the line 33 in Fig. 1.

marks the bottom of the wringer frame; 2 one of the side stiles; and 3 the opposite side stile. 4 and 5 mark wringer rolls; 6 and l shafts for said rolls respectively, Bearings 8 for the lower shaft are mounted and fixed in the stiles. Bearings 9 for the upper shaft are slidingly mounted in the stiles. A spring l operates on the upper bearings. A screw I adjusts the pressure of the spring. A nut l2 receives the screw, the nut being mounted in a movable top bar IS. The top bar is of channel form with closed ends. A shoulder I4 is formed in one of the stiles and this is engaged by shoulder l struck up in the end of the top bar. These shoulders hold the top bar in set position, but permit the other end of the top bar to lift, and with the lifting, detach the connection through the shoulders M and IS.

A toggle has the links l6 and I8 the link l6 being pivoted at I! on the top bar and the link i8 being pivoted at H! on the stile 2 and at on the link IS. The link I8 is doubled, or duplicated, on each side of the stile. The link 6 is of channel form, providing the side |6a to which the links l8 are attached. The pivot at H is in the form of a pin which extends through the top bar and through the side |6a of the link IS. A releasing and resetting lever 2|, preferably of channel form having the side plates 2|a, is pivoted on the pin H, the side platesextending between the sides |6a and the sides of the top 3. The link I6 is are formed at its upper end and is provided with an inturned shoulder 23 at the end of the arc formed portion. A shoulder 24 is bent up on the end of the lever 2| in position to engage the shoulder 23 when the engage the shoulder 23 when the lever 2| is forced upwardly in the resetting operation.

In resetting the wringer, both hands of the operator may be used, as illustrated in Fig, 2. The lever 2| therefore assists in response to upwa d pressure and the link I6 responds to downward and inward pressure, both tending to swing the toggle links. into alignment so as to draw down the top bar and thus reset the pressure on the spring l0. As shown, the toggle links are carried slightly beyond dead center so as to stabilize the connection in set position.

With the parts in set position as shown in Fig, 1, should the operator become caught or should a release of the pressure be desired for any purpose, this may be accomplished by striking downwardly on the handle at the end of the lever 2|. This swings the link |6 outwardly so as to bring the pivots past dead center and thus break the toggle. The lever 2| should have sufficient clearance with relation to the top bar to efiect this movement of the link l6 past the center. In resetting the toggle, the lever, through its pivotal but limited movement, can be swung upwardly so as to bring the shoulder 25 into engagement with the shoulder 23. This, in effect, makes the lever 2| an extension of the link l6 so that an upward and outward pull of the lever 2| may be realized in resetting the links, or it may be used in assisting in resetting the links where pressure is also exerted on the links l6 as shown in Fig. 2. The lost motion between the link l6 and the lever 2| permits the link IE to swing out freely after the links a e carried past dead center. Without this lost motionthe lever 2| in its normal set position would not be in the most desirable position for effecting a release.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a wringer having a frame, rolls mounted in the frame, a movable top bar for the frame, pressure means exerting pressure from the top bar on the rolls, and a toggle connection between the frame and top bar, the links of the toggle swinging on axes extending from front to rear of the wringer, the toggle when set holding the top bar in'pos ition to set the pressure on the rolls and releasing the top bar when the toggle is lever in set position extending over and length wise along the top bar and movable downward toward the top, bar to release the toggle.

2. In a wringer having a frame, rolls mounted in the frame, a movable top bar for the frame,

pressure means exerting pressure from the top bar on the rolls, and a toggle connection between the frame and top bar, the links of the toggle swinging on axes extending from front to rear of 1 the wringer, the toggle when set holding the top bar in position to set the pressure on the rolls and releasing the top bar when the toggle is broken, the combination with the toggle and top bar, of means actuating the toggle comprising a lever having a'lost motion connection with a link of the toggle and swinging therewith in the'plane of the axes of the rolls to actuate the toggle, said lever in set position extending over and lengthwise along the top bar and movable downward toward the top bar to release the toggle, said le-' ver'having means engaging the link which in reverse movement of the lever will cause resetting of the toggle and thepressure means. I

3. In a wringer having a frame, rolls mounted in the frame, a movable top bar for. the frame, pressure means exerting pressure from the top bar on the rolls, and a toggle connection between the frame and top bar, the links of the toggle swinging on axes extending from front to rear ofthe wringer, the toggle when set hold ing the top bar in position to set the pressure on the rollsand releasing the top bar when the toggle is broken, the combination with the toggle and top bar, of means actuating the toggle comprising a lever having a part in underlying relation to a part on a link of said toggle providing a 10st motion connection with said link of the toggle and swinging therewith in the plane of the axes of the rolls to actuate the toggle, said lever in set position extending over-and lengthwise along the top bar and movable downward toward the top bar to release the toggle, said lever having means engaging the link which in reverse movement of the lever will cause resetting of the toggle and the pressure means, and permitting through the lost motion connection a 'continued release movement of the toggle independently of the lever.

4. In a wringer having a frame with a bottom and side stiles, rolls mounted in the frame, a movable top bar for the frame, pressure means exerting pressure from the top bar on the rolls, and a toggle connection between the frame and the top bar, one link of the. toggle being of channel form with its sides pivoted to the top bar and the other link of the toggle being connected to a side stile, the axes of the links extending from front to rear of the wringer, the combination with .the toggle and top'bar, of means actuating the toggle comprising a lever of channel shape, the sides of the lever and the channelsides of the channel formed link of the toggle being arranged with the sides of one underlying the sides of the other and having a lost motion connection therewith, said lever swinging therewith in the plane of the axes of the rolls to actuate the toggle. i w v WALTER L. KAUFFMANJI. 

